Although we have been experiencing a bit of a heat wave these past few days, between the changing colors of the leaves, the comfy sweaters and boots, and the popular apples at the farmers market, it is clear that we are in the midst of the fall season. Not only is fall loved for its vibrancy of color, but with the fall season some of our favorite flavors are also back on the menu: pumpkin spice, chai, and cinnamon to name a few. Starbucks, Saxby’s, and The Corp have all adjusted their menus with the season, and, I should note, Starbucks has officially switched to its seasonal red cup, which means that we can no longer stave off the holiday season.
Pumpkin:
Pumpkin spice is a clear fall staple at coffee shops. With its unmistakable spices—cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves—blended into warm, smooth milk automatically puts people into the fall spirit. Both Saxby’s and Starbucks have placed this fall staple back on their menus. At Saxby’s you can order both Pumpkin Spiced Latte as well as a Pumpkin Chai Latte, a perfect combination since Chai is another fall favorite. Unlike Saxby’s, Starbucks only serves a Pumpkin Spiced Latte, but this is the drink’s 10th year anniversary so the coffee shop will be introducing a wide range of different pumpkin pastries to its menu as well!
Chai:
The warm, aromatic flavors of chai tea have their roots in the ancient Ayurvedic tradition of India. Roadside tea merchants could be found preparing black tea with traditional healing spices like cardamom, cinnamon and black pepper. Ayurveda also means “life science” in Sanskrit, so this is the perfect spice to put in your drink as the cold weather comes in and to protect us from the flu this season. At all three coffee shops around campus you will find an endless variety of Chai drinks—regular Chai Tea, Chai Tea Latte, Chocolate Chai Tea, and more. Chai Tea also has a boost of caffeine, which makes this drink perfect for when you are staying up late in Lau during these next few weeks of midterms.
Cinnamon:
The smell of cinnamon reminds of fresh-baked desserts coming out of the oven on Thanksgiving. Both the smell and taste are warm, inviting, and rich. Cinnamon is like sugar—it can go with almost any drink. Whether you want to mix it into your freshly brewed coffee or have it mixed in with your lattes, cinnamon is a perfect way to spice, excuse my pun, up your drink to match the season. Some drinks to consider would be the Cinnamon Dolce Latte at Starbucks or the Cinnamon Chai Tea Latte at Saxby’s.
Caramel:
Caramel is intoxicating with its smooth, rich, and buttery sweet flavor. With the fall season there are a bunch of new caramel drinks like Caramel Macchiato and Salted Caramel Mocha at Starbucks and Saxby’s. Caramel is also a syrup that can dress up any drink that you buy to give you that extra sweet taste that we all love.
Apple Cider:
If you’re longing for the toasty warmth of a woolly blanket and crackling fire during this fall season, then the flavor of apple cider is a match for you. With the sweet and warm taste of apples infused with rich cinnamon, apple cider is the perfect bittersweet drink. All three coffee shops on campus are serving up their own versions of apple cider, but one that stands out is the Caramel Apple Spice drink served at Starbucks.